MAFFRA SUGAR BEET MUSEUM
one museum  -  two sites
 

Sugar Beet Museum
McMahon Drive
Maffra 
Victoria

(beside Macalister River Park)

Robotic Dairy Interpretive Centre
Winnindoo
Victoria
 

below:  Dairy Interpretive Centre 

 

• the rise, success and eventual end of the sugar beet industry in Maffra 1896-1948

• pre-European occupation of the area

• early European exploration and settlement of central Gippsland

• the Maffra township

• local agriculture, especially dairying

• the progress in milking practices from C19th to today, including Australia's first robotic dairy

• the development of dairy processing and products

• the progress in transportation of dairy products

• current and future directions in the dairy industry

     The Beet Museum is open on the first Sunday of every month from 10.00am to 2.00pm.
     It is also available for prior group bookings at any time. 

Email for further details

As the Centre is located on a working farm, entry is by group booking only.

For details click here
or email for further enquiries

• the museum has an extensive collection of photographs, local history texts and documents held in the Maffra Public Library
• the Maffra Public Library also holds the "Flo Pearce" document collection
• both these collections are catalogued and may be viewed under supervision during normal library hours
• a working group meets at the Library on Thursday afternoons between 1.00pm and 3.00pm; assistance can be given to researchers; the working group may also be contacted on 0418 573 828

• all that remains of the beet factory is a large brick store beside the Sale Road railway crossing and the wooden office (see above), which has been moved about 1km from its original location to a site in Macalister Park beside the river where it has become the main part of the Maffra museum complex
• built in 1897, the building originally housed the Manager, his office staff, the strong room and a weighbridge used to determine the quantity of beet delivered directly to the factory by local farmers

• Maffra & District Historical Society Inc manages the Maffra Sugar Beet Museum on behalf of the Shire of Wellington and the Winnindoo Dairy Interpretive Centre complex in conjunction with the Warren family
• the Maffra Museum is open to the general public during the first Sunday of each month and to groups by prior arrangement (see below)
• the Winnindoo Dairy and Interpretive Centre are regularly open to groups only; prior booking is essential; group organisers and/or coach operators are invited to contact us for details

• please note: all donations are assessed by the Acquisition Committee before acceptance in accordance with our collection guidelines
• a copy of the Museum's Donation Policy may be obtained by clicking here
• a copy of the Museum's Deed of Gift form may be obtained here